51 apprentices graduate from Port Mourant Training Centre

The students who graduated on Wednesday last

Education Minister Dr Nicolette Henry called on young persons to qualify themselves to take advantage of the wide scope of opportunities and possibilities provided by the evolution of new industries into Guyana’s economy.
Her call came as she addressed 51 apprentices, including a lone female, who graduated from Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Port Mourant Training Centre (PMTC) on Wednesday last. The skilled young people are now equipped with both practical and theoretical knowledge.
Minister Henry believes that this new generation is currently facing and will inevitably face faster changes and challenges in the world. Globalisation, the advent of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and the development of a knowledge-based economy are leading the changes at an unprecedented rate and scale.
“These are skills and knowledge that you will need to get started in life, particularly in world of work. I have to also let you know that notwithstanding you being graduated here today, the road ahead will present challenges, which of course, you can turn into opportunities. Irrespective of your discipline of study, I ask you to give your very best and give back to your community. Let me take this opportunity to thank all of you in advance for your service to Guyana. I know that you will go on to do very well”.
She further stated that the advancement of technical and vocational training, the increase of youth programmes across the country, and the financial allocations toward education all permeate the Ministry’s goal in ensuring that all Guyanese are equipped to embrace the evolution.
She told the apprentices that their training was a step in the right direction in preparing them with the necessary skills to benefit Guyana.
Meanwhile, Region Six Chairman David Armogan explained that it is not difficult to find someone who is an executive in an organisation outside of Guyana that passed through Port Mourant Training Center.
“That alone tells you the level of training that you can get here”. He noted that over the years, GuySuCo has recognised the importance of producing skilled craft men and women to ensure that their operations were ongoing.
“I recall that many other institutions and businesses in Guyana, including Banks DIH, would have sent apprentices here to get qualified and go back to their respective organisations to continue working. So, it not only provides a service for GuySuCo but also for many other industries within our country, and maybe the Caribbean should be thankful to us for exporting some of our graduates to their countries to keep their industries going”.
He added that the apprentice scheme is not only designed to train high-quality craftsmen but also to instil the ethics of work and the discipline needed in employment in these young men and women.
“Guyana cannot develop unless we have a full country of skilled persons readily available to take off of work in the organisations and industries that would be available in the country. Today, our country is poised for some level of higher prosperity because of the oil industry which is going to start getting into production sometime in 2020”.
Since 1960, the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) had partnered with GuySuCo to make the Apprenticeship Programme a success. The programme seeks to enable persons to gain the technical competencies in numerous fields such as electrical, mechanic, and machinery among others.
It is designed to satisfy the need for vocational/technical skills in field and factory.